Shipwrecks may not be an obvious source of inspiration for luxury apartments, but such is the case in Melbourne where a nautical wreckage has served as the inspiration for a new premium development. 

Lowe Living’s Lumiere Black Rock apartments were designed by Warren and Mahoney as a homage to the historic HMVS Cerberus, a 19th Century naval ship that protected Melbourne and its Port Philip Bay before World War II.

The shipwreck now functions as a breakwater and scuba diving hot spot in the Melbourne’s bayside suburb of Black Rock, which also houses the luxury apartments.

Principal Nick Deans said the design was grounded in local identity. 

"The heart of our design process is an understanding of identity and place, so with every design, we begin by researching the location and community.

“With Lumiere Black Rock, we’ve drawn inspiration from the HMVS Cerberus’s curved geometry.

"This manifests in the walls that lead you into the building, the leading edge of the balconies and the curved edges on the benchtops.” 

The site of the HMVS Cerberus. Source: Lowe Living.

The nautical homage brings distinguished luxury to the two- and three-bedroom dwellings, with curved stone façades and round kitchen islands that mimic the curved turrets of a ship, and gunmetal tapware and engineered oak floors that add to the subtle motif. 

As a further nod to the development’s location, Lumiere’s façade comprises split-face limestone cladding on the second storey and smooth stone walls at street level. 

Lowe Living Managing Director Tim Lowe said they wanted the development to be a "true reflection of its breathtaking surrounding".

"We wanted Lumiere residences to embody the Black Rock community, the beautiful coastline and showcase the best of Bayside living,” he said. 

“We chose to partner with Warren and Mahoney because they bring international expertise and best practices to their work. Our collaboration with Principal Nick Deans allowed us to really bring these six identifiable residences to life."

Lumiere Black Rock apartments, located at 68 Bluff Road, are now available for sale. Click here to learn more. 

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